No-Nonsense Craps: The Consummate Guide to Winning at the Crap Table Paperback – April 15, 2008

Played the "system" in this book on a recent trip to Vegas (Aria). I can confirm the system works as billed. You aren't going to win big, but you're also not going to get wiped out in a couple of rolls. I can confirm the croupier was not really happy with the way I was playing. Kept asking me if I wanted to put up odds on the 2nd and 3rd tier points and admonishing me for missign out on the "best bet" in the house. Of course when I won my small bets or broke even, the rest of the table playing the "best bet in the house" kept losing big. I did miss out on a hot run (still won, just not nearly as much as everyone else), but I missed out on the typical cover 3 numbers with full odds only to lose when the shooter crapped out. I must admit I started throwing in a few field bets just to keep my attention towards the end. However, if you want to play a long time, drink for free, and end up a few bucks (not at all a bad afternoon in Vegas), give the system a shot.

Compared to a few other books on craps I've reviewed recently, this is a work of genius, but only relatively. Good points: Rejects innumerate concepts like "hot" and "cold" tables and charting rolls, i.e. he rejects the Gambler's Fallacy. He also rejects the idea of "dice influence". He points out that taking or laying odds does not change the expected value of the line bets. He stresses the fun of craps.Bad points: He doesn't address the concept of variance directly. He says that taking or laying odds "attenuates" the effect of good and bad luck. This is either completely wrong, or simply saying "attenuate" when he means "accentuate", since odds increase variance. He gives short shrift to buy and lay bets, and dismisses "darkside" betting with negative characterizations of people who bet against the dice. His only recommended strategy (Table Time Plus) is OK, but boring and conservative. At one point he recommends removing an odds bet and using that money to make a come bet, a bad move mathematically.

This is an excellent book on the game of Craps, from start to finish! If you are curious about playing, read this book first and save yourself the money would would have blown on making rookie mistakes at the table! It is a short and easy read that is full of useful information and devoid of any filler.Richard not only explains how to play, but also how to bet, with a clear explanation on WHY to place and not place certain bets. All of his suggested moves are based on the calculated odds versus the house, and not on luck or superstitions. As the book states, you will not get rich using his suggested system. The idea is to maximize your time at the table for the enjoyment of the game, winning when the dice are hot and protecting your stack when the dice are cold.I put his system into use during a two-week business trip to Vegas and logged over 36 hours at the tables, playing in the evenings and weekends. By the end of the trip, I came out as a winner and had eaten for free every night at one of the hotel's 5 restaurants using comp checks earned through playing. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to stay at the table for long sessions and learning the nuances of the game without going bust in the first thirty minutes, like I had always done in the past. I got to know the dealers and the table regulars, and had a great time sipping on free drinks while playing, talking, and watching tourists dump their entire stake to the house through sloppy betting and other voodoo like dice-setting and other rolling techniques.Like every casino game, based on the odds, the longer you stay at the table, the more likely you are to lose all of your money to the house. This book shows you how to minimize the house advantage while maximizing your own. Stick with Richard's system and you won't be disappointed.

A great guide to the basics of craps. Beginners should easily be able to grasp the rules and probabilities. The title is misleading, though. No nonsense, yes. Consummate guide to winning at craps, definitely not. This is a guide for the casual social player who wants to spend prolonged periods at the table, ride out the highs and lows, and have fun without getting whacked all at once. Read, re-read, and absorb the introduction. Mr. Orlyn himself states that you should expect to lose when you gamble and should not be surprised when you do. And if you stay at the table riding out cold streaks waiting for the game to turn, you will lose. Guaranteed! And when the table does turn in your favor, you won't make up the losses with the conservative betting method outlined in the book. Folks who view gambling as entertainment and the dice table as a place to get a few jollies will like the book. Other books do a much better job of describing techniques that help players maximize winning chances.

i suppose it's a good book. it's the first craps book i read. i think you need to know the basics of craps to buy this. this isn't a learn from scratch book. the authors method seems logical. it's not a how to cheat or how to get rich quick book, it's a how to play steady craps and make your money last book. i read it in one night. 2-3 hours or so. it's not a thick book. i guess i would recommend it, hard to say because i have nothing to go off of. i bought it because of the other good reviews and it was cheap.